School and prayers were held regularly every day. Part of the Bishop’s own cabin was screened off for the three women and two babies; and he himself looked after them, washing the babies and tending the women when sick.
Selwyn was grateful indeed that it was now possible happily to leave all these new scholars at Auckland under Patteson’s care, for plenty of work awaited him. He had to start off at once on a confirmation tour of one thousand miles and then be at Wellington early in the coming year for the meeting of the first Synod. The year, 1858, that was drawing to a close, he described as “a year of many blessings. Two prosperous voyages to the Islands, one prosperous voyage to the Southern Settlements, one-third of the Visitation Tour by land accomplished, the consecration of the Bishops of Wellington and Nelson.” These two, both consecrated in England were old friends; his fellow worker, Archdeacon Abraham, had been appointed Bishop of Wellington, and Rev. E. Hobhouse, Bishop of Nelson.
In 1859, after the Synod was over, Selwyn made his last voyage to Melanesia again in company with Patteson. They touched at Lifu where they had before visited the native teachers belonging to the mission of the London Missionary Society. These men, as they had not had an English missionary among them for a long while, implored to be connected with the Anglican Mission. But they were told that two missionaries from L.M.S. were on their way from Sydney to Lifu, and that it would do harm to have two rival systems on the island. Patteson writes:
“They acquiesced but not heartily, and it was a sad affair altogether, all parties unhappy and dissatisfied and yet unable to solve the difficulty.”
They called at Lifu again on their way back and found that the two missionaries had arrived, but learned also that there were two French Roman Catholic priests in the north of the island who were attracting many to them. So again possibilities of true comity disappeared, and the simple islanders were disturbed by the unhappy differences between Christians.
After this voyage, Bishop Selwyn left to Patteson the whole guidance of the Melanesian mission. He had served his apprenticeship under the Bishop and gained a full knowledge of the nature of the work, and had shown that he possessed the gifts necessary to carry it on, so that he could be given full responsibility for what had been to Selwyn one of the most delightful parts of his great work.
To Patteson it had meant much to begin his work in close association with one whom he loved and admired as he did Bishop Selwyn. He still looked constantly to him for help and support. He wrote to his father:
“Of course no treat is so great to me as the occasional talks with the Bishop. Oh! the memory of those days and evenings on board the Southern Cross. Well, it was so happy a life that it was not good for me, I suppose, that it should last.”
It was not yet possible to move the school for the Melanesian boys to Norfolk Island, but a more sheltered spot was found for it temporarily, opposite to the entrance of Auckland harbour. St. John’s College was reserved entirely for the sons of colonists. A new master, Rev. B. Blackburn, had been found in England by Abraham who, as Archdeacon, had been its head till he was appointed Bishop of Wellington. When Mr. Blackburn was offered the post he accepted saying with what intense pleasure he would work under as great a man as Bishop Selwyn. To which Abraham answered: “he is a great man and would appear so to his valet if he had one.” Blackburn was not disappointed when he first saw Selwyn on arriving at Auckland. He described him as “a king every inch of him; he would rule by a look, but stoop to perform the most menial office without the slightest loss of dignity.” After helping to carry the newcomer’s luggage from the ship, the Bishop suggested that they should go to the chapel to give thanks for their safe voyage, and after a little service of prayers and psalms laid his hands on each, down to the baby in arms, giving them his blessing. Mr. Blackburn writes further:
“Bishop Selwyn had a love of work, and great power of endurance. I have heard of his taking eight services in one day. When 10,000 soldiers were landed in New Zealand with only one chaplain (and he a Roman Catholic) the Bishop felt it was his duty to provide for them: he started a number of services and held Bible classes with the men. The soldiers were enthusiastic about him. He knew exactly how to adapt his language to them. It was amusing to hear the officers speak of him. They not only admired him as a bishop, but they discovered in him great power for taking in the details of military life. They used to say that it was a shame he was not a general. The naval men were equally enthusiastic about his seamen-like qualities. They all agreed that he would have made a first rate admiral.”